Don't Believe Everything You Read
by mariajonsson
Summary: Modern AU – CEO of Winterfell Energy, Eddard Stark is seen at the Dragon Hotel in the middle of the day... with an unknown woman.


**A/N**: A little modern au fic. Sorry about any mistakes and I hope you enjoy :D

**Disclaimer: **__I own nothing all characters belong to George R. R. Martin. This is just for fun.

It had seemed like such a good idea at the time. They hadn't been able to have any alone time since before Rickon, when Ned had surprised her with a trip to Lys for their ten-year anniversary. Which hadn't been such a crazy idea after all, since they had barely left the cabin Ned had borrowed from one of Winterfell's foreign investors, and when they had, it had been to visit the private beach right in front of the house. Much to Ned's pleasure, she had been able to wear skimpy bikinis and low cut dresses without anyone else seeing. They had even returned with a surprise, their sixth child.

However, since then four years had passed and the lack of privacy was taking its toll on their marriage. They still had sex, but with six children in the house, of which one or more was always in need of their attention, both night and day, it had become more routine and after having been caught too many times at work, Catelyn had implemented a no sex at the office rule, one which she herself had started hating nearly as much as Ned.

So Ned had come up with a brilliant scheme, they would each have their secretaries put a bogus meeting on their calendar and then they would book a room at a hotel across town under a false name, where they would meet for a couple of hours before returning to work. Feeling more rejuvenated than before.

It had been working so well, and Catelyn was reminded of the first years of their relationship when they never seemed to get enough of each other, even almost flunking their exams that one semester because they had been more focused on one another than on the task at hand. Even their children had noticed changes in their behavior and Catelyn would always blush when Robb would give her a knowing look, wiggling his eyebrows in a resemblance of her idiot brother, whenever one of the other children would ask why they were acting so strange.

Life was working out just fine, Ned had started taking more time off to spend with their children, they were even planning a trip to Riverrun to see her Father, who had left King's Landing to enjoy the peace and quiet of the Tully summer home, when Edmure had taken over the family business a couple of years ago.

Running a successful business and running, what felt like, an even busier home had taken its toll on their marriage, however their new adventure had them communicating more intimately again and Catelyn couldn't deny that empowering the physical part of their marriage wasn't hurting.

Thoughts of the previous day had her clenching her thighs together in need, wondering if it were too late to call the older boys and have them watch their siblings for a couple of hours, so that she could have her husband to herself for a few hours after everyone left the office, after all the no funny business at work didn't really apply for the parking garage.

Catelyn was about to pick up the phone when she heard a commotion outside her door followed closely by shouting. She looked up, although she was not able to see anything since she had closed the blinds after returning from her meeting with Tywin Lannister. She had been sure she was getting a migraine after dealing with that unpleasant man.

Catelyn quickly stood up and rushed towards her door, when she looked outside, she saw a flock of people standing in the doorway of her husbands office, the door wide open and noises coming from within. She quickly rushed over and when people noticed her, they swiftly parted so that she might pass.

What greeted her had not been what she had expected at all. There in the middle of Ned's office, her husband and uncle Brynden were having an argument. Or more accurately her uncle was holding onto Ned's shirt, pushing him into the floor, threatening him with brutal violence for some offense he desperately wanted Ned to confess to.

"What is going on here?" Catelyn asked, curiosity and anger building inside her.

Both men looked up at her, but Uncle Brynden did not let Ned go and Ned did not use the opportunity to rid himself of Brynden.

She turned around and ushered all the people away, but as did she caught glimpses of her son standing in the doorway, his beautiful face marred with anger and despise, directed at his father.

"Robb! What are you doing here? You are supposed to be at school!" she scolded him, walking over to him, but her first-born did not even look at her when he spat out.

"Ask him! Ask him what he did, mother! He's a traitor!" Robb shouted, tears welling up in his Tully blue eyes, but the Stark look of steel was still pointed towards the man he had always admired and wanted to mirror in every way.

"Robb, sweetling. Why don't you go sit in my office and we'll speak later," Catelyn said, nodding towards Vayon Poole to take him towards her office, asking him to get something to drink for the boy.

"Brynden Tully! Let him go!" Catelyn demanded, turning back towards the two men after closing the door.

"Not until he pays for what he's done," Brynden growled, both his hands shaking her husband, "You don't know what this son of a bitch has done, little Cat."

The usage of her childhood nickname did nothing to soften her resolve and she crossed the floor, pulling at Brynden's shoulders with her much smaller hands.

"Then why don't you explain it to me instead of murdering Ned in the middle of his office, and during the day, no less!" Catelyn said, relieved when Brynden rose and started pulling a magazine out of his coat pocket, placing himself firmly between Catelyn and Ned, who was now rising from the floor, fixing his clothing, but still silent as a ghost.

"Read this! Apparently the trash you married has been keeping some whore on the side, playing you for a fool!" Brynden growled, and Catelyn barely managed to shout out before Ned's fist collided with Brynden's nose, the older man flying to the floor.

"Stop it! Both of you," Catelyn shouted.

"He has no right to speak of you like that!" Ned growled.

"That's big, coming from you. Huh? How long have you been playing with my niece's feelings?" Brynden asked, his face as red as their Tully auburn hair.

"What are you talking about? Ned would never hurt me," Catelyn said, getting more confused by the minute, "and why would you bring Robb here, knowing you were going to be beating up his father."

Ned looked up at the mention of their son, looking behind her, but seeing nothing except a closed door.

"He called me!" Brynden growled at her, but calming down and grumbling, "I didn't plan on taking him with me, I told him to wait in the car. He must have followed me and someone allowed him to enter the building because they recognized him as your son."

"Why would Robb call you and why are you both so upset? And what whore are you referring to?" Catelyn asked, already tired of this whole conversation.

"Page 2, it's a whole spread," Brynden said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Catelyn opened the magazine he had pressed into her hands, and she felt Ned staring over her shoulder, apparently also curious as to what had her uncle so upset he would attack him.

"_Most honorable businessman in Westeros, not so honorable after all."_

_'CEO Eddard Stark (36) was seen visiting a notorious hotel, looking cozy with a mysterious woman during lunch hour. What must, wife and business partner, Catelyn Stark (35), have to say about her husband's business dinners?'_

Catelyn didn't wish to read any further, she had already gotten the gist of the gossip news, turning the paper around, the logo for Varys' gossip magazine staring back at her.

Below the text was a series of photographs, one of Ned paying for the room at the check in desk, another of him entering the elevator with an unrecognizable woman wearing a coat and a hat. Accompanied by a couple of shots of them leaving through the hotel's parking garage in separate vehicles, however the biggest space was reserved for a candid shot of Ned kissing the woman in question.

"See!" Brynden said victoriously, "Now can I throw him out the window?"

"You most certainly cannot," Catelyn said, staring at the photographs wondering who might have followed them, she couldn't remember anyone from yesterday since all of her attention had been on Ned.

"WHY NOT?" Brynden shouted, only lowering his voice at her cross stare, "I told him when you wed if he ever hurt you, I'd deal with him the same way I dealt with that creep your sister dated."

Mentions of Petyr Baelish sent shivers down her spine. She knew she did not feel an ounce of pity for the boy who had played with her sister's feelings and then thrown her away like so much baggage, leaving her pregnant and depressed the day before Catelyn had walked down the aisle to marry Ned. Since then they had refused to so much as speak off Petyr, especially after what he had done at the rehearsal dinner.

"And you didn't think to speak with me before acting like a caveman! We work here! How are people going to respect Ned when you barge in here like a crazy man throwing your fists around? We have a gala to go to tomorrow, and now Ned looks like a champion for the UFC and not a respectable business man!" Catelyn scolded him, looking at her husband's face that was already turning purple on one side.

"After what he did, he deserves much worse!" Brynden growled.

"What did he do? This is the least trustworthy magazine in all of Westeros, and instead of speaking to me, you believed what ever they had to say about us. Did you also believe it when they printed the countless times Ned and I have been about to get a divorce? Or the tale about how we bought Rickon during our visit to Essos the year of his birth? Or maybe that we sold our daughter to the Braavosi company of faceless men?"

Brynden was too stunned to speak for a moment, although it quickly passed, "None of those stories had pictures, Cat. This one does!"

"Yes, uncle, off a woman. Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, this woman wearing my clothes might be me?" Catelyn shouted. Ned arms came around her waist before she could jump her uncle. Whispering calmly into her ear, begging for her to calm down.

Brynden's face became white as quickly as it had turned red, his brows knitted together, and his mouth open.

"What?" he sputtered. "How can that be? It said in the article that you were, according to your secretary, in a meeting across town."

"As she was instructed to say if anyone called looking for me, since she knew no better," Catelyn replied, trying her best to remain calm.

"I'm sorry little Cat," her uncle said, his grin making him appear to be less than remorseful, "it won't happen again." Shrugging his shoulders, he stepped forward, opening his arms. "Forgive me?"

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Catelyn said, but still stepped into his embrace, allowing his warm hug to soothe her hurt feelings.

"I need a drink," he said, stepping back, looking at her husband now, no hint of anger in his blue eyes, "do you have anything strong around here, Stark?"

"Bourbon or Scotch?" Ned asked, moving towards the liquor cabin, putting three glasses on top of the bar, pouring bourbon into two tumblers before looking towards the older man.

"Bourbon, thanks," he said, sitting himself down on one of Ned's armchairs.

"Don't you have anything to say uncle?" Catelyn said, nodding towards Ned.

"What?" he said curiously, before following her gaze, "Oh yeah, sorry about the misunderstanding Stark."

Her husband shrugged his shoulders, handing Brynden the whisky before handing Catelyn a tumbler as well.

"No, problem man. I understand," he said, taking a sip from his glass.

MEN! Gods, they were strange beings. Just a few minutes ago, they had been rolling around on the floor and now they were sharing a drink, already forgetting their little throw down.

Catelyn drained her glass before grabbing the stupid magazine, intending on finding Luwin after speaking to her son. They needed to get ahead of this if they didn't want to take a dive in the market.

"Where are you going?" Ned asked, grabbing her waist to keep her from leaving.

"To speak with our traumatized son," Catelyn replied, wiggling from his grasp, leaving his office to head to her own.

Catelyn could hear his footsteps following her and she waited for him before opening the door.

When Robb saw them entering he froze before quickly rising to his feet and starting to shout at Ned. "How could you? How could you do this to mom, to our family? You're such a hypocrite!" Robb roared, his face red and his mouth turned into a petulant frown.

"Robb, sweetling. Calm down," Catelyn said, stepping forward to embrace her son. He reluctantly allowed her to put her arms around him, his embrace reminding her more and more of Ned's as he grew, his head already too high to rest comfortably on her shoulder.

"Son, you need to calm down and let..." Ned started, but Robb ripped himself from her arms, charging towards his father.

"Don't ever speak to me again!" Robb said, rising up to his full height. He was however still a few inches shorter than Ned, despite last summer's growth spurt, "I hate you!"

Catelyn could see the color from Ned's face evaporate. Of course they had heard their children shout such words when they were young and didn't get their way, but never with such heat and never with any true feelings behind them.

Catelyn was about to speak up when Ned spoke, "And you would be well within your rights to do so if what you believe about me were true."

"What?" Robb said, looking behind him right at her.

"Robb, please sit down," Catelyn pleaded, sitting herself down on the sofa, patting the seat beside her.

Robb reluctantly sat down beside her and folded his arms across is chest, reminding Catelyn of when they would scold him as a little boy.

"Son, what you read in that magazine isn't quite true," Ned explained, after sitting down in the armchair in front of them.

"What does that mean? Not quite true?" Robb asked, looking between his parents. "Are the pictures not real?"

"No, the pictures aren't fakes, but I'm not having an affair," Ned said.

"Then who was she? And why were you kissing her?" Robb demanded.

"The woman in the pictures is me," Catelyn said.

Robb just stared at her before finally speaking, "but... but... but she doesn't have red hair."

"That's what the hat was for," Catelyn explained, opening the magazine in her hand. "See here," pointing towards her hand in one of the shots, "my wedding rings."

Robb's ears turned bright red and he avoided looking at either of them, "I told Jeyne it couldn't be true," Robb said, almost in a whisper.

"Sansa's Jeyne?" Ned said, voicing Catelyn's thoughts.

Robb's red face, quickly told Catelyn it had not been Sansa's friend that had informed him of the latest gossip about his parents.

"Who is she then?" Ned inquired, grinning like a wolf.

"Nobody," Robb said, avoiding their gazes before relenting, "She's in Jon's class, we went to the movies with Jon and Ygritte a couple of times."

"The movies," Ned said, wiggling his eyebrows at their first-born.

"DAD!" Robb exclaimed, their earlier disagreement forgotten.

"Is she pretty?" Ned asked, making Catelyn roll her eyes.

Robb nodded his head, eyeing her suspiciously.

"I'm sorry, dad. For yelling at you… and saying I hated you," Robb said, suddenly remembering why they were here in the first place, "and for calling Uncle Brynden," he added sheepishly.

"Why did you?" Catelyn asked, "Why didn't you just come speak with me."

Robb's eyes opened wide and he looked over at Ned, before mumbling something under his breath.

"What was that?" she said.

"I was afraid you might kill him, at least Uncle Brynden was only going to rough him up a bit," Robb confessed.

Catelyn just stared at her first born, but quickly turned towards her husband when she heard a loud laughter coming from her usually solemn lover.

"Oh come on, my love. The boy's right. If I ever did something that horrid, you'd run me over with my own car, then back over me for good measure," Ned said, laughing even more when her frown deepened.

"Robb. It is time for Uncle Brynden to return you to school. You can still manage to make your last two periods," Catelyn said, turning her attentions back to her son.

Robb turned to his father, looking worried.

However Ned just laughed, and reassured him they would both be home later, no worse for the wear. So after hugs and awkward good-byes, Robb left them alone in her office.

"So do I have to worry about leaving the building without a bodyguard?" Ned joked, moving over so they were seated next to one another.

He grabbed her legs, letting them lay over his thighs, pulling her pumps off her feet, softly rubbing them.

"Ned, we're at the office," Catelyn said, in a half hearted protest, leaning further into the sofa.

"What is the point of owning the building if I can't even rub my wife's feet?" Ned asked, moving his hands up her calves.

"Ned," Catelyn moaned.

He grinned at her, pushing her backwards on the couch, coming to lie between her parted thighs.

"Ned, I still have to go speak with Luwin," she said.

"He can wait," Ned said, moving to leave kisses down her throat.

"Ned," Catelyn moaned again, half-heartedly pushing against his chest.

"Do you want me to stop?" Ned asked, his grey eyes staring into hers, asking for permission, never allowing himself to do anything without her explicit words of assent.

"No," she whispered, biting down on her lip, a habit she had always had a hard time to contain.

"Then Luwin can wait all year for all I care," Ned said, grabbing the stupid magazine and throwing it at the wall before continuing his exploration down her neck.

The End.


End file.
